Prnjavor – Little Europe

The Prnjavor Municipality is an area pleasant for working and living. It is recognisable by multi-ethnicity and multiculturalism, and justifies its nickname “Little Europe” due to a number of national minorities living in the territory of the municipality (Ukrainians, Poles, Czechs, Italians and others) who have established cultural and business cooperation with their homelands.

History of little europe

In late 19^th century, the then poorly populated area of the Prnjavor Municipality receives population from Eastern and Central Europe. Mass migrations, owing to the policy of Austro-Hungarian Empire, led to the Prnjavor Municipality become multi-ethnic area. According to some data, in late 20^th century, approximately 20 different ethnic groups inhabited the territory of the Prnjavor Municipality, thus justifying the nickname of Prnjavor “Little Europe” or “Europe in miniature”. The first to move were Italians, in 1881 in the village of Štivor. In autumn 1894, the Czechs arrived in the village of Maćino Brdo who, according to some witnesses, brought potato and some varieties of fruit to Bosnia and Herzegovina for the first time. In 1892, the area of former Prnjavor county was populated by the Poles. Following the end of the Second World War the Government of Poland invited the Poles who had emigrated from the country to come back. Leaving Prnjavor, they said: “We are people with two hearts, one in Poland and the other in the singing Bosnia”. The first German families moved to the area of the Prnjavor Municipality in 1888, while ten years later the Ukrainians started to move to the area. Settling of Hungarians lasted from 1900 to 1910. There do not exist exact data on the time when the Roma settled but there are data that the Roma moved to the Balkans more than 700 years ago, witnessed by old headstones. To a lesser extent, the area is also populated by the Slovaks, Slovenians, Russians, Ruthenians and other peoples. The population came in horse-drawn wagons bringing along different ethnology and ethnography and leaving impressed forever their customs, languages and cultures. Living together in the area, often with turbulent events, still preserved the ambience of respect and tolerance, which has characterised Prnjavor for decades. Therefore, we are still proud to have the nickname “Little Europe”.

National minorities today

According to the 2003 census, there are 1452 members of national minorities living in Prnjavor, which makes 10% of the total number of national minorities in the Republika Srpska. National minorities in Prnjavor are supported by the Prnjavor Municipality in the form of funding their events and projects organised through the activities of their respective associations.

Festival of national minorities of the Prnjavor Municipality “Little Europe” is an international event with the participation of cultural associations from all over the Republika Srpska and Bosnia and Herzegovina, countries of the region, homelands of members of national minorities (Czech Republic, Poland, Italy, Ukraine), and member states of the European Union. Festival has the minimum of 2000 visitors from the country and abroad, while the guests of the festival are also high-level dignitaries (representatives of executive authorities) from the Republika Srpska and Bosnia and Herzegovina and countries of the region, ambassadors of homelands of members of national minorities living in the territory of the Prnjavor Municipality, and representatives and members of the associations of national minorities in the country and abroad, as well as representatives of the Council of Europe.

The main objective of the Festival of national minorities of the Prnjavor Municipality “Little Europe” is to promote and preserve tradition, culture, language and customs of national minorities in the territory of the Prnjavor Municipality, promote the beauty of unity and variety characteristic for the Prnjavor Municipality, and establish new and strengthen existing connections with homelands of members of national minorities from the municipality.

An important aspect of the Festival is the promotion of the Prnjavor Municipality and the region, particularly the municipalities in the Banja Luka region, in terms of tourism, culture and business, given the fact that the festival is visited by organised groups of tourists from Czech Republic, Poland, Ukraine and Italy and countries of the region. In addition to dances characteristic for the members of national minorities and their homelands, the Festival is the opportunity to present old crafts and culinary specialties of their respective countries. Part of the Festival are also visits to famous touristic destinations in the area of the Prnjavor Municipality and neighbouring municipalities, which is why the event has a positive influence on the promotion and development of tourism of the entire region.

The Prnjavor Municipality organises the event in cooperation with the Union of National Minorities of the Prnjavor Municipality and individual associations of national minorities from the municipality (Associations of Poles, Czechs, Ukrainians, Italians, Roma and Montenegrins).

The Festival takes place in summer.

Prnjavor – town of parks and avenues

With its many parks, developed green areas and avenues in all main streets, the Prnjavor Municipality is rightly considered one of the greenest areas in the Republika Srpska.

Walk the streets of Prnjavor: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkQrVi0aIt4

Avenue in the Svetog Save Street in Prnjavor

Culture

The main holders of cultural events in the territory of the Prnjavor Municipality are the Public Institution “Centre for Culture Prnjavor” and Public Institution “National Library Prnjavor”. The diversity of cultural mosaic is greatly affected by the number of different nations whereof each has its rich and specific cultural heritage, publicly affirming and thus influencing cultural events of our municipality. Their activities are implemented through cultural associations. The most significant cultural events taking place throughout the year are celebration of international and orthodox New Year, Saint Sava Ball, Masquerade in Štivor and Maćino brdo, Ukrainian Ball, Poetic marathon, Festival of national minorities, Municipal review of folklore, events on the occasion of Easter, events on the occasion of Day of Municipality, as well as many other events organised in line with Programme of marking important dates of the Prnjavor Municipality.

Education

Pre-school education is provided within kindergarten “Naša radost” and several private centres for education of pre-school children. In the territory of the Prnjavor Municipality, there are eight primary schools, including regional schools. Secondary education is provided in two secondary schools: Public Institution Secondary Schools Centre “Ivo Andrić” Prnjavor and Public Institution Gimnazija Prnjavor. In Prnjavor there is also Public Institution Music School “Konstantin Babić” Prnjavor, where classes are organised individually on six instruments (accordion, piano, guitar, violin, flute, clarinet) and in groups (solfeggio, theory of music, music instruments, choir), while in secondary music school classes are organised in two departments: music performer and music associate -theorist.

Sport

In the territory of the municipality, there do not exist special sport institutions, but rather a number of sport clubs pursuing different sports: football, basketball, handball, volleyball, judo, karate, taekwondo, kick-box, chess, athletics, tennis, etc.The most important sport facilities are SRC “Borik”, several sport halls, 22 sport playgrounds in local municipalities and two swimming pools. The most important sport events are “Athlete of the year”, “St. Sava Chess Tournament”, “8^th March Chess Tournament”, “International Street Race”, International Taekwondo Tournament “ Prnjavor open” , “St. George’s Easter Nation Cup”, Streetball Tournament – “VIVIA 3x3 STREET BALL Prnjavor”, Judo Camp “Little Europe”, several football tournaments, as well as many other sport events. Most of these events are of international character.